Forbes, Filer joined by new hitting coach

Reading, PA – The Philadelphia Phillies have named their 2008 coaching staffs for all of their Minor League affiliates, Steve Noworyta, Phillies Director, Minor Leagues has announced. 

P.J. Forbes will manage Double-A Reading for a third season and pitching coach Tom Filer is back for his fourth year. They’ll be joined by Frank Cacciatore who takes over coaching duties from Greg Gross. Gross is the hitting coach for the Phillies new Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The club’s athletic trainer will be named at a later date.

Cacciatore, who managed the St. Lucie Mets in the Florida State League (A) in 2007, has 20 years of experience in player development and has been managing or coaching in the Minor Leagues since 1988. He has worked for Houston (1988-92), San Francisco (1993-98), Florida (1999-01), Montreal/Washington (2002-05) and the New York Mets (2006-07). 

Cacciatore is no stranger to the Eastern League. He managed Portland, then a Marlins affiliate, in 1999 and was the hitting coach for Harrisburg in 2002 and 2005.

Cacciatore coached and taught mathematics at his alma mater, Florida Southern College, from 1978-1982, before being named the head coach at Palm Beach Junior College. He is a member of the FSC Athletic Hall of Fame.

An All-American outfielder in college, Cacciatore helped the Mocs win the 1975 NCAA Division II National Championship before playing professionally for the Detroit Tigers for two seasons, reaching Double-A. 

Forbes has guided the R-Phils to a 141-140 (.502) record in two seasons. Prior to joining the R-Phils, Forbes managed Low-A Lakewood in the South Atlantic League for two seasons after a 13-year playing career in which he saw time in the Major Leagues in 1998 (BAL) and 2001 (PHI). 

System Notes: Bill Dancy, Reading’s all-time winningest manager (1983-84, 1988, 1994-95) and a 1995 inductee to the Reading Baseball Hall of Fame, remains in his role as the field coordinator and will oversee all the teams. Dancy also played for Reading (1974-76, 1978) … Mike Compton returns as catching coordinator … Gorman Heimueller (pitching), and Jerry Martin (outfield) will also return. Heimueller was Reading’s pitching coach in 1999 and 2001. Martin played for Reading in 1973 and is in the Reading Baseball Hall of Fame … Sal Rende takes over as the new hitting coordinator, replacing Don Long who is now the Pittsburgh Pirates hitting coach … The Pirates will be managed by former Triple-A manager John Russell (2006-2007), a 1982 R-Phil … Doug Mansolino* is the new infield coordinator and Dave Lundquist* the new bunting/baserunning coordinator. Dancy handled infield duties a year ago while Martin saw to baserunning … Eric Valent, hired to coach at Williamsport, is one of seven new members to the player development staff. Valent, who played parts of five seasons in the Majors (2001-2005), was Co-MVP of the 2000 R-Phils (Rusty McNamara). He resides in Berks County … Dusty Wathan, who caught one game for the R-Phils in 2007 is also new and will manage Williamsport … Lehigh Valley coach Greg Gross (2007) and pitching coach Rod Nichols (2002-2004) are former Reading coaches … Lakewood coach Greg Legg managed Reading (2002-2004) and played for the R-Phils (1983-84, 1988) … Gulf Coast manager Roly deArmas caught for Reading in 1975; pitching coach Carlos Arroyo played for Reading in 1978 and coached several seasons, most recently in 2000. 

Phillies Minor League Field Staffs for 2008: Manager, Coach, Pitching Coach (Athletic Trainers TBA)
Lehigh Valley (AAA): Dave Huppert, Greg Gross, Rod Nichols 
Reading (AA): P.J. Forbes, Frank Cacciatore*, Tom Filer
Clearwater (Hi-A): Razor Shines*, Kevin Jordan, Steve Shrenk
Lakewood (Lo-A): Steve Roadcap, Greg Legg, Dave Lundquist*
Williamsport (Short-A): Dusty Wathan*, Eric Valent*, Bill Bliss
Gulf Coast (R): Roly deArmas, Luis Melendez, Carlos Arroyo

*New Phillies instructors for 2008

This story was posted on December 12, 2007